The California Raisin Advisory Board faced a major problem in the 1980s. The California Raisin Advisory Board faced a problem in the early 1980s. There was a lot of raisins being produced each year and very little demand. According to market research conducted by the board, raisins were a popular choice for most consumers. Boring and dull "And the traditional methods of produce marketing weren’t making any difference: no matter how many raisin recipes were placed in homemaker magazines or at raisin fairs, seminars, or elsewhere, they didn’t make any difference. Beauty contests by Raisin Queen The Americans were now more indifferent to the dehydrated grapes.

The disinterest in raisins was revealed by focus groups. The main question was "If raisins were human beings, what kind of people would they be?" The answers, which included "nerdy wimpy", "negative, unhip", and "nerdy", indicated the need to create a new, radical advertising campaign. So was born the California Raisins rhythm and blues-playing California Raisins.

The claymation raisins wore dark sunglasses and performed moves worthy of The Temptations. They sang and danced to Buddy Miles' lyrics from 1968 Marvin Gaye song, "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." The commercials featuring the California Raisins quickly gained popularity, launching the animated dried Fruit performers into pop superstardom. The Raisin Board released Meet The Raisins to capitalize on their popularity. It sold more than 600,000 copies. The Raisins were featured in a Saturday morning cartoon in 1989, as well as a television special.

The real winner was the shift in public perception from raisins being stodgy and hip to them. Focus groups revealed that consumers were now more fond of raisins. Sales soared quickly, resulting in an estimated $6 return on every dollar spent advertising.

There's no need for you to wear shades, do the step slide, or sing to get excited about dried fruits and vegetables. Let's instead talk about the convenience, savings, fun, and flavor that dehydrating Food brings.

What is food dehydration?

food Dehydration is a process that reduces the moisture content of food. food Drying concentrates flavors and extends shelf life. This is probably the oldest method for food preservation. It has a history similar to this: Ugg and Una left a piece on a rock on Tuesday around 14,000years ago. They returned on Friday to discover that the fruit had dried out and not grown mold. They knew that they had found something useful when they still enjoyed a few bites of the fruit on Monday.

Dehydration has been used by many cultures across history to preserve large quantities of food for later consumption. In areas where food is scarce in winter and plentiful in summer, having a stash of dried goods can make the difference between survival or starvation.

Dehydrating food is still a viable option, even in a modern world where food ships worldwide. You can still find strawberries in Toronto in January, and tomatoes in Buenos Aires, July. It is a great way to preserve food for long periods of time, especially large quantities. It can concentrate flavors and create chewy textures in plant-based food that mimics the taste of meat (hello mushroom jerky!). It makes food lighter and easier to transport. A dedicated dehydrator is a great option, but it is not required.

This article will discuss the different methods of dehydrating food and the types you can dehydrate. It also includes some recipes that use dehydrated foods.

Why dehydrate your food?

There are many compelling reasons to dehydrate some of your food.

1. Save Money

You can save money for one. You may feel the end-of summer "I can't even look at another zucchini" blues if you grow your own vegetables and fruits. You may feel the need to either let the zucchinis rot on the vine or just throw them in the compost when you're tired of eating zucchini bread and ratatouille. You'll be paying four dollars per pound for the same thing six months later.

You can dehydrate zucchinis, tomatoes, okra, corn, berries, apples, and other fruits. You are basically putting these delicious, low-cost calories, nutrients and deliciousness in a bank account you can withdraw from for the remainder of the year.

To save money on dehydration, you don't need a garden. It's possible to buy produce in bulk at peak ripeness and lowest cost. This can be done from farmer stands, farmers market, and grocery stores that stock local produce. You can also preserve it for the off season. This is the kitchen version of the stock market adage "buy low, sale high" except that you are not selling but rather eating.

2. Reduce food waste

Another reason to dehydrate food is to reduce food waste . You can recycle calories from food purchased or homemade. You might want to dehydrate excess produce if you don't know what to do. Dehydrating fruits and vegetables significantly extends their shelf life so that you can enjoy them when they are ready. Pro tip: Dehydrate fruits and vegetables while they are still fresh. This will allow you to enjoy them as soon as possible.

3. Space is limited

Also, dehydrating foods saves space. Dehydrating fruits and vegetables can help reduce their size up to half the amount depending on how much water they contain. You can dehydrate your apples if you don't have a large enough fridge or a root cellar. Dehydrated apples don't require as much space in the fridge or counter.

4. Offer non-perishable options

Dehydrated foods are generally non-perishable. Because they are non-perishable, dehydrated foods can be useful in emergency preparedness. The instructions that come with ReadyWise emergency food supplies for a year are only three words long.

Even if you're not planning to eat for a year without access to farms or supermarkets, dehydrated foods can be great for camping and long hikes. Because they are lightweight and won’t spoil, some campers make whole meals from dehydrated foods and then rehydrate them and enjoy them whenever they have heat and water.

Common dehydrating methods

We don't require expensive or advanced appliances or machines to dehydrate food since humans have done this for thousands of years. There are many methods available, from the most natural to the most technological. You're already a pro at dehydration if you have ever left greens in the fridge and they eventually wilted.

Sun drying

Sun drying refers to exposing food in direct sunlight during the day. However, it requires conditions such as long days, high heat and low levels of humidity. The best places to sun dry are those in the southwest US during summer. Produce will mold if it is too humid or doesn't reach an average temperature of 85deg F.

It is important to limit sun drying to fruits and vegetables, even in hot, dry conditions. It can take up to four days for food dried in the sun to fully dehydrate. Because of its high sugar content and acidity, fruits can resist mold growth and remain safe to eat once they have dehydrated. Avoid drying vegetables in the sun as most vegetables are low on sugar and acid. They will probably spoil.

What is the relationship between spoilage and dehydration? Drying food does not kill microbes that can cause food to spoil and become unsafe to eat. The lack of water actually inhibits the growth and development of microorganisms like yeast, bacteria, and mold. They remain dormant, unable to colonize food.

Sun drying is more than a perfect climate and long days. Airflow is also important. This can be achieved by spacing the pieces and placing them on mats, racks or screens that allow airflow from all directions. Metal racks can increase drying temperatures so stainless steel, Teflon coated fiberglass, and plastic are the best options. Avoid heavy metal contamination by not using hardware cloth. It's coated with zinc, cadmium, copper or aluminum.

Air drying

You can dry your plants outdoors or indoors. The main requirements include airflow, low humidity and no direct sun. Air drying is usually done indoors in a well-ventilated attic or room or outside under a shade that blocks the sun. The most common air-dried foods are herbs, mushrooms and hot peppers.

The easiest item to dry is herbs. You can dry herbs in as little as two days if you place them on a rack. You can tie herbs together and hang them from hooks. This can take up to three weeks and will make the space smell amazing.

Curing is a variation of air drying. This is done after harvest to preserve onions and garlic. After harvesting garlic or onions, let them dry in a well-ventilated, warm place such as a shed. Spread them in one layer on a dry, clean surface or hang them from the ceiling. After a few weeks, the necks and tops should be completely dry. The outer bulb peel should start to rustle. Before using, trim any roots and cut off any dry foliage.

Freeze Drying

Food is freeze dried by placing it in a vacuum. Sublimating is when the water within frozen food turns into vapor. It skips the liquid stage completely. This allows food to retain its original texture, flavor and nutrition even after it has been rehydrated.

Commercial freeze drying is not recommended. However, you can try it at home with your freezer if you have the space and money.

Let's say you want to freeze dry fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator. The slices will dry completely after about a week, depending on how cold the freezer is and how thick they are. You can remove them from the freezer, and then store them in an airtight container (glass, stainless-steel, or ceramic) in your freezer or pantry.

Oven drying

You can dehydrate certain foods if your kitchen has an oven standard. Ovens can be inefficient at drying food, which results in high energy costs and reduced quality.

Your oven should not be set to higher than 140 degrees F. If it has one, you can use the "warm" setting. To allow moisture to escape, leave the door open. Use a convection fan to circulate the air if you have one. If you don't have one, put a fan outside the oven to draw air in the space between the door and the oven. Oven drying can take up to three times as long as using an electric dehydrator. (See below). Limit the oven's capacity to 4 to 6 pounds per batch.

Electric Drying

The dedicated electric food dehydrators produce a better quality, consistent dried product than any other method. Freeze drying is the best option but it's too expensive for most home chefs and gardeners. They are self-contained units with an adjustable heat source, ventilation, and trays that allow for airflow. This allows you to dry food at the ideal temperature for best results.

There are 2 basic types of electric drying machines. Vertical Dehydrators are equipped with a heat source and fan at either the top or bottom and blow the air vertically. This type allows you to stack the trays on top each other and can be expanded as necessary.

Horizontal deshydrators move warm air from the rear to the front. They are more efficient than vertical units in insulation, which improves energy efficiency and speeds up drying. Horizontal airflow reduces the mixing of flavors when drying different foods on different racks. Vertical dehydrators tend to be more expensive than horizontal ones.

These units can dehydrate almost any type of food, including fruits, vegetables and soaked nuts. Horizontal units are preferred for making your own crackers and kale chips. They're square, not round, so you can have more space between the trays.

Vertical models take up less counter space than an Instant Pot. Horizontal models can take up as much as a large microwave oven depending on how many trays you have.

What foods can you dehydrate?

Technically, any food that contains water can be dehydrated. You can even put soggy tennis shoes into your dehydrator and they will dry faster. Let's not forget about the things you need dehydrate. These are foods that you will actually eat and good for the environment.

Fruit

Fruits make a great dehydrator. Some fruits can be cut thinly or into smaller pieces. This includes bananas, strawberries and pineapples as well as pears, pears, peaches, kiwis, and pears. You can leave berries whole, such as blueberries and raspberries. They retain a wonderful concentrated flavor once dried. Some fruits can be blended with water, and dried on sheets to make fruit leathers. This is one type of leather that ethical vegans can support.

Dry fruit is great in salads and as an individual snack.

Vegetables

Most vegetables can be cut into small pieces (roughly 1/8" thick) using a mandoline, food processor or a knife with a thin blade. Just make sure you protect your hands. If the vegetables are not in their pods or on the cob, such as corn and peas, they don't have to be cut.

Leafy greens such as spinach and kale can be dehydrated just as they are. Wash them and remove any stems. Then cut them or tear them into pieces that can be placed on your dehydrator sheets. They are high in water so greens will shrink in volume. If you have ever sauteed spinach in a large heap, you will know how much water greens can lose. They can be stored whole or made into a powder with a blender.

You can also make collard chips by cutting the leaves to a uniform size and coating them with a seasoning mixture before drying.

Dehydrated vegetables can be added to soups, stews, or portable dehydrated meals. You can also make dehydrated vegetables look like meat by marinating them before dehydrating.

Nuts, Seeds, & Grains

It is easy to dry nuts and seeds. They are also easy to dehydrate and last a long while so why bother? It is possible to make nuts and seeds more digestible and provide more nutrients by soaking them before drying them. However, once the seeds and nuts are soaked they can quickly go bad. The best way to get the best of both is to soak your seeds and nuts until they sprout. After that, dehydrate them to preserve their goodness.

The same principle can be used to store sprouted grain, which can be used in breakfast cereals and dehydrated meals.

Legumes

Although you might not think of dehydrating legumes often, if you have dried beans, split peas or legumes in your pantry, these are likely legumes that were sun dried on the vine. You can dehydrate canned beans best, but you can also dehydrate beans you have cooked in a pressure cooker at home.

Lentils can be cooked on the stovetop or canned. Rehydrate legumes by cooking them twice before you eat them. Double cooking will make legumes more digestible. You can also use dried beans and lentils in dehydrated meals because they cook faster than regular dried legumes.

Herbs

You can dehydrate herbs in an electric oven. Making your own dried herbs will give you an advantage over store-bought herbs. They are often less fresh and flavorful than those dried by you. You can use dried herbs for baking and cooking, as well as in crafts such sachets or eye pillows.

There are down sides to dehydrating food

Dehydrating food can help you save time, money, and energy. It preserves food from spoilage and can enhance the flavor. It's easy and free to do if you have the ability to dry your food in the sun or by using air drying techniques. You might now be thinking, "Let's dehydrate everything!" You might be asking why not?

Sugar Concentration in Dried Fruit

There are also some downsides to drying foods. The first concern is for fruits. A lack of moisture can lead to an increase in sugar concentration, and glycemic Index. This means that sugar in fruits can be absorbed more quickly in the body, and cause an increase in blood sugar, particularly if it is dried.

It doesn't matter what it is, it's just math. If fruit is mostly water and the water is removed, then there is more sugar per unit weight.

Talking of weight, there are four calories per kilogram of sugar. This means that you have a more calorically dense food. It's easy to overeat if you are concerned about your overall caloric intake or are sensitive to large amounts of fruit sugar. Although it's easier to snack on banana chips than to eat 21 medium bananas, you'll still get about 2,300 calories.

Check the label if you are buying dried fruit from the grocery store. This will let you know if any added sugar has been added to the naturally occurring varieties. Sugar is rarely added to apple rings or raisins. Rather, sugar is often added to tart or sour fruits like cherries and cranberries.

Destruction of Nutrients

Another concern is the possible destruction of certain nutrients during dehydration. Vitamin A is destroyed when it is exposed to light and vitamin C by heat. Dehydrating fruits with sulfite can reduce these losses but can also cause allergies. Also, blanching or briefly boiling vegetables before dehydrating can cause some loss of vitamin B-complex vitamins, minerals and vitamins.

However, it's not all bad news. Dehydrating is one of the most gentle methods to preserve food. It protects more nutrients that other methods like canning and pickling.

It can take a while

Third, drying food takes longer than cooking or eating raw. While prepping food for drying is quicker than cooking it, drying can take longer depending on how much moisture was retained and what drying method was used. The majority of drying methods take at most four hours. Sometimes, it can take more. Sun drying takes the longest. An electric dehydrator can be used quickly.

Energy Usage

Lastly, some methods of drying such as oven drying, electric drying and freeze drying all use energy. This can lead to additional costs and environmental impacts.

How to prepare food for dehydration

For drying, choose fresh, high-quality produce. Remove any seeds, cores, or damaged parts.

can be cut into halves, strips or slices, with thicknesses ranging from 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch. No matter how they are cut, they will dry quickly. It is also important to maintain uniform size so that all pieces dry in the same time.

Blanch vegetables by placing them in boiling water. This is done to preserve the vibrant colors and flavors of vegetables and to neutralize any enzymes which could otherwise cause them to spoilage.

To slow down the browning process of most fruits, you can also pretreat them by coating them with an antioxidant solution. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin C, lemon juice or another acidic liquid into a quart of cold water. After dipping the fruit, drain it and place on a rack to dry. This complete guide shows how to prepare and blanch fruits and vegetables.

Keep a Rehydrating Toolkit on Hand

Common kitchen tools can be used to dehydrate food. A sharp knife or cuttingboard are essential. If you're brave enough to use cut-resistant gloves, a sharpmandoline is also necessary.

To blanch vegetables before drying, you will need a large saucepan and a steamer container. The steamer basket is useful for blanching vegetables by quickly boiling them in water and cooling them in hot water. A blender, or food processor is required if you are making fruit leather (or fruit rolls-ups, depending on your preference).

If you want your veggies and greens to be bug- and dirt-free from the dehydrator, then a rinse should follow. Then, a trip through a salve spinner can be your best friend or at most an amicable companion. Play carousel music or "wheee!" a few times as you spin the vegetables for best results.

If you are serious about dehydrating, then you will most likely get an electric dehydrator. It can be either a horizontal or vertical model. These are some to look at:

Storing dehydrated food

After drying the food, let it cool down and check for moisture before you store it. To test for dryness, you can lightly pack the product in a sealed container and then check for condensation. Condensation can be a sign that the product is not dry enough.

Even if there aren't any obvious signs of moisture, it is a good idea for dried food pieces to be kept in an airtight container for at least a week. This practice is known as " Conditioning".

There are a few options available to you when you want to store your dehydrated food. It can be packed tightly in clean, dry glass containers, freezer safe containers with tight fitting lids or non-toxic freezer bags. You can also use a vacuum packer if you want to preserve the contents. However, once you open the seal, moisture may find its way back in.

For maximum shelf life, dry foods should be stored in cool, dry and dark places, regardless of the method used. The recommended storage time for dried foods is between four and one year depending on the temperature. Heat can cause food quality to be compromised so the storage period should be shorter. Most dried fruits, for example, can be stored at 60 degrees F for up to a year, while vegetables last about six months at 80 degrees F. Vegetables, however, have a shorter shelf-life than fruits.

Recipes for dehydrated foods

We have a fun challenge to you if you are new to drying foods. Check out the below recipes! This way of cooking and preserving food will make you fall in love. We hope this article inspires you if you are already a fan of dehydrating.

The Mushroom Bacon tastes great on salads, in grain bowls and as a topping for a plant-based hamburger. The Chickpea Croutons, also known as "Cheesy", are a delicious snack that can be enjoyed with soups or salads. You can replace fried potato chips by Lemon Garlic Dill Squash Chips. You can create endless combinations of fruit leather by using Mixed Berry or Banana Fruit Leather. Even grandkids can help make granola bars by dehydrating Pumpkin Pecan Granola Bars. This will give them a healthy snack that they can take with them. Share your experience dehydrating with us once you are done!

1. Mushroom Bacon

You can use any mushroom you want to make mushroom bacon. It's healthier than traditional bacon because it's dried and uncured. This recipe was made with button mushrooms. However, you can also use portobello, shiitake, and cremini. All of them will be delicious and savory!

2. Cheesy Chickpea Cruntons

Chickpeas can be dried to change their texture from being soft to crunchy. This creates a new experience and a new way to use chickpeas. Chickpeas with cheesy flavor can be used as a snack or topping for kale caesar salad.

3. Lemon Garlic Dill Squash Chips

Do you love crunchy snacks? You can make thinly sliced squash your best friend. Combine it with any spice mix you like, then dehydrate it to create a crispy snack. If you want something bright and fresh, try the lemon garlic and dill chip! It's loaded with nutrients like fiber, carotenes and vitamin C.

4. Mixed Berry and Banana Fruit Leather

Fruit snacks from the grocery store can contain processed sugar, sometimes even more sugar than fruit. It's healthier to make your own fruit leather at-home. It also allows you to preserve any fruit that might be spoiled before it is eaten. There are many options for making fun fruit snacks, including pineapple mango, apple kiwi, and berry banana. This recipe will help you create fruit leather in all your future creations.

5. Pumpkin Pecan Granola bars

You need something quick and easy to grab on the go, or something that your kids will enjoy at school. Our dehydrated Pumpkin Pecan Granola bars are not like store-bought snacks. They are made from 100% whole foods ingredients, including dates, sweetener, and healing spices. You can also add whole pumpkin or pecans. You can customize them with your favorite flavors like vegan chocolate chips, dried raisins, or apples.

Give dehydrating a try

Dehydrating food is a cost-saving, space-saving, and environmentally friendly way to preserve food. It also makes it easy to pack for hikes and other emergency situations.

There are many options for dehydrating food. These range from easy, inexpensive, seasonal (sun drying or drying by air) to more expensive and efficient (an electric dehydrator).

You can also dehydrate many foods, including fruits, vegetables, seeds and soaked nuts, as well as pre-cooked legumes.

This method of preservation is great for keeping a variety plant-based foods fresh for long periods of times. It preserves a lot of nutrients and can sometimes even enhance their flavor.